Attention Muscovy lovers

[Miss Lydia]

Guess who is walking without band aids and his ortho shoe already!!!!

Oh my gosh what an adorable baby and looks like it likes it's mirror. so happy to hear it's doing so good. Yay

 

[Dianne88]

Dianne88, what was the humidity in your incubator?  I know you have high humidity just like here in central FL and that may well be the cause of the unfortunate lack of hatching.  Also, were the air vents open in your incubator? 

When Solo is all fluffed out post a picture of the little guy.

My humidity was in the low 50's until lockdown and then it was 70 ish, higher during hatching. I leave the vents open trying to bring down the humidity but doesn't always work when it rains almost every day!! I hope my next batch will fair better! They weren't shipped so we'll see it that makes a difference??

 

[Dianne88]

I have put dry and wet chick starter out but Solo doesn't seem interested. I did give him growgel plus B and he ate that but does anyone have any suggestions on how to get him to eat the starter. He is drinking water so I'm happy about that. My chicks went right for it so not quite sure what to do for a ducking??

 

[laughingdog]

Well been checking on mamma muscovy duck, and today she got off nest for while and i was able to take an egg to safely for me candle, as last time she seemed being gentle but kept nipping and pulling at me as hissed, which got male all close and mad at me. Theyvall of few I've checked from edge and now a middle one, were all dancing around inside, eggs are cleanest shiniest whitest eggs I've ever seen. odd note.. other times i was able to check quick when she was briefly off nest, swear she only had fifteen eggs but now count sixteen eggs! Less bedding or more rotted ect down also, but wondering if she either just had/has some hidden (my rescued game hens did this all the time free ranged making two spots with eggs somehow brooding both to hatch then bringing together).. or suppose she has laid more since started brooding??? She and her fella enjoyed the time together out again, ate some lettuce and wood grubs i tossed them. she makes this weird squeaky sound on and off now.

 

[laughingdog]

 

[laughingdog]

 

[laughingdog]

This is as healthy and heavily carruncled as they have gotten at times, female probly same as hens as stress of daying shrinks and discolors hers?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well been checking on mamma muscovy duck, and today she got off nest for while and i was able to take an egg to safely for me candle, as last time she seemed being gentle but kept nipping and pulling at me as hissed, which got male all close and mad at me. Theyvall of few I've checked from edge and now a middle one, were all dancing around inside, eggs are cleanest shiniest whitest eggs I've ever seen. odd note.. other times i was able to check quick when she was briefly off nest, swear she only had fifteen eggs but now count sixteen eggs! Less bedding or more rotted ect down also, but wondering if she either just had/has some hidden (my rescued game hens did this all the time free ranged making two spots with eggs somehow brooding both to hatch then bringing together).. or suppose she has laid more since started brooding??? She and her fella enjoyed the time together out again, ate some lettuce and wood grubs i tossed them. she makes this weird squeaky sound on and off now.

What your hearing is the Muscovy broody noise. Mine come off the nest looking like Sumo wrestlers ready to fight, and will chase down any duck close to them. She could have some eggs hidden inside all the nesting material. Next time she comes off the nest get in there and take a good look. Usually once they begin to brood around the clock they usually don't lay anymore eggs. And your drake is one handsome fellow. FYI, when hatch time gets close you should give your duck space away from the drake till ducklings are at least 3 weeks old. Not very many drakes are tolerant of ducklings even their own.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have put dry and wet chick starter out but Solo doesn't seem interested. I did give him growgel plus B and he ate that but does anyone have any suggestions on how to get him to eat the starter. He is drinking water so I'm happy about that. My chicks went right for it so not quite sure what to do for a ducking??

Dianne88 how is Solo doing? has he started to eat yet? Usually around day 3 after hatch they get their appetite hope Solo has..

 

[laughingdog]

@Miss lydia,
Thanks for the heads up on the trouble possible with the drake, ill have to watch him and set up seperate pen just in case. I have nesting chinese owl pigeons in by them and waiting for their current squekers to feather out totally ect, but oddly they are always on ground around my drake and sometimes cozy up to him when cools off, and I'm wodering why he tolerates them even toddling around after him let alone being under foot or occasionally on his tail wing back or foot. Maybe thinks they are his babies? i take them away and off him, as don't want them eaten or stepped on, but he gets really angry and acts like he is going to nip me in the face then. maybe he is just waiting for them to grow into a real meal? he doesn't allow the vastly opposite shaped, colored, sounding and acting flying flight pigeons anywere on the ground to land even (i removed them from pen). Id heard scovys were so broody they'd adopt other duck type, goose, chicken, ect, even older orphans, so never really thought about it.